Alan Zibel, AP Real Estate Writer
USA Today
WASHINGTON — The government says new U.S. home sales rose by the largest amount in nearly nine years last month, in another sign the housing market is finally bouncing back from the worst downturn in decades.
The Commerce Department says sales rose 11% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 384,000, from an upwardly revised May rate of 346,000.
It was the strongest sales pace since November 2008 and exceeded the forecasts of economists surveyed by Reuters, who expected a pace of 360,000 units. The last time sales rose so dramatically was in December 2000.
Sales have risen for three straight months. The median sales price of $206,200, however, was down 12% from $234,300 a year earlier.
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